Denmark 1863-RH 2 frederiks d'or
This specimen was lot 31292 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2025), where it sold for $4,800. The catalog description[1] noted, "DENMARK. 2 Frederick d'Or, 1863. Copenhagen Mint. Frederick VII. NGC AU-58. Displaying minimal marks with essentially full detail through the designs and slight subduing of the luster accounting for the grade." After the reform of 1854, the monetary system was 96 skillings = 1 rigsdaler, 2 rigsdaler = 1 (old) speciedaler. This coin, struck 1863 only, is in the middle of a series begun in 1828 during the reign of Frederick VI. Earlier dates were struck in Altona in Schleswig-Holstein. The initials "RH" stood for mintmaster Petr Rasmus Hinnerup. Since 1513, the kings of Denmark have alternated between the names Frederick and Christian; when Fredericks VI and VII ruled, this coin was called a frederiks d'or; when Christians VIII and IX ruled, it was called a christians d'or. It was the same size and weight as a Prussian friedrichs d'or (KM 371, KM 398, KM 415, KM 442) and a Saxon gold five thalers (KM 1054, KM 1102, KM 1113, KM 1123, KM 1143). All the Danish issues are rare today. In 1874, the coinage was reformed again to the current system of 100 øre = 1 krone.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 13.28 g, 0.896 fine gold, 27 mm diameter, reeded edge.
Catalog reference: Fr-291; KM-750.4; Sieg-16.4.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Siegs Møntcatalog 2016: Danmark med Omrader, 48 ed., Frederikssund, Siegs Forlag ApS, 2015.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, January 2025 NYINC Showcase Auction, featuring the Richard Margolis Collection, Part III, and the Richard August Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2024.
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